Stapling-machine.



' Patented Feb. -4, I902. E. A. BARBER.

STAPLING MACHINE.

(Application filed May 9, 1900.) I (No Model.) 5 Shuts-Sheet l.

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No. 692,757. Patented Feb. 4, I902.

a E. A. BARBER.

STAPLING MACHINE.

- (Application filed May 9, 1900.)

(No Model.) 5 Sheets-Sheet 2.

Zl/v'tnsses. i Inventbrx".

No. 692,757. Patented Feb. 4, 1902.

, E. A. BARBER.

STAPLING MACHINE.

(Application filed May 9, 1900.)

(No Model.) 5 Sheets-Sheet 3,

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No. 692,757.. Patobted Feb. 4, I902.

. E. A. BARBER.

STAPLINB MACHINE.

(Application filed my 9. 1900.) (lo Model.)

5 Shouts- Sheet 5,

fllllllllll 2060263665.- jnvenfo r, ar J4, awa b o ttorne ys,

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EVERETT A. BARBER, OF QUINCY, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO THE STANDARDRIVET COMPANY, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, A coa- PORATION OF NEWHAMPSHIRE.

, $TAPLING- SPECIFICATION. forming part of Letters Patent No. 692,757,dated February 4., 190a.

- Application filed May 9, 1900. Serial. N0. 16,051. (No model.)

T on whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EVERETT A. BARBER, a citizen of the UnitedStates,residingatQuincy, in the county of Norfolk, State'ofMassachusetts, have invented a'certain new and useful Improvement inStaple-Setting Machines, of which the following is a specification,reference being had therein to the'accompanying drawings.

My invention has for its object to provide a simple, durable, andefficient machine for setting staples.

In the following description, taken in connection with the accompanyingdrawings, I have set forth a machine embodying my invention, and in theclaims at the end hereof I have pointed out and clearly defined thenovel features thereof. 7

In the drawings, Figures 1 and 2 are side elevations of the machineviewed from opposite sides thereof. In said Fig. 2 the hopper 21 isremoved. Fig. 3 is a plan view of the machine, the cover 166 of thehopper being thrown back. Fig. 4 is an enlarged sectional detail showinga locking device for the clutch mechanism. Fig. 5 is a sectionalview,partly in elevation, of the driving and guiding mechanism enlarged,thesection being on line 5 5, Fig. 6. elevation, of the parts shown,Fig. 5, the section being on line 6 6 of Fig. 5. section on line 7 7,Fig. 5. tion on line 8 8, Fig. 3. tive of a staple such as the machineshown is adapted to set.

The machine is intended to be placed on a suitable bench or support,(indicated at A.) The frame is shown at B andis provided with threeprojecting arms. The arm 1 is yokeshaped and projects rearwardly in twobranches, serving to support the driving-shaft 4 at two points, asindicated. The arms2 and 3 project forwardly, the arm 2 being underneaththe arm 3 and serving to support the clenching-die, while the arm 3supports the driver and guideway or throat, as also the Fig. 8 is asecraceway and connected mechanisnnby means lower end of a slide 15.plates 16 and 17 are provided to engage the Fig. 6 is a sectional view,partly in' Fig. 7 is a Fig. 9 is a perspec'-;

bearings, at the ends of thetwo rearwardly= projecting branches of thearm 1 and is provided at one end with a belt-pulley 5, by means of whichpower may be communicated to the said shaft. At the opposite end of saidshaft a hand-wheel 6 is provided for convenience in turning the shaft byhand. Adjacent t-he pulley 5 on the said shaft 4. I pro vide asprocket-wheel161, which is connected by means of the chain 7 with thesprocketwheel 8 on the short shaft 9, which latter is journal'ed in thelower upright portion of the frame. On the shaft 9, at the opposite sideof the frame, a boss 10 is secured by means of a set-screw l1. Said boss10 is provided with a crank-arm 12, to the outer end of which is pivotedone end of a link 13, which is in turn pivoted at the other end at 14 tothe Ways formed by edges of the slide 15, so that the latter may bereciprocated Vertically on the face of the plate 20 as the shaft 9revolves. The upper edge of the slide 15 is beveled transversely, asshown at 19, Fig. 8, thereby forming a pocket or recess between the saidbevel and the face of the plate 20. The plate is secured to the frame Band forms a portion of the rear wall of the hopper 21. The upper portionof the slide 15 passes up through of its upward movement it passes theforwardly-inclined shoulder22 of the plate 20, and the staples which arecarried up are discharged upon the said Shoulder 22, whence they slidedownwardly and forwardly onto the raceway 23. The raceway 23 is thinenough to permit a staple to straddle it, and someof the staples insliding down onto it from the shoulder 22 will straddle it and thencewill be caused by the jar of the machine in operation to move downwardlyalong the said raceway. In this manner the raceway is filled withstaples arranged side by side thereon, as are the staples shown at 24,Fig. 2. To prevent the staples from becoming displaced while on theraceway or while on that portion thereof which is outside the hopper, afender or top rail 25 is provided, which is secured to supports 26,which are in turn secured to the raceway by screws 27 or in othersuitable manner. The said top rail 25 is located a sufficient distanceabove the raceway 23 to afford a clearance for the heads of the stapleswhich are on the raceway. The upper portion of the raceway 23 above thetop rail 25 is preferably located within the hopper in order thatstaples which are improperly located thereon and are cleared or brushedoff will fall back into the hopper. For the purpose of clearing theupper end of the raceway 23 by the removal therefrom of staples whichare not properly located thereon I place above the said raceway, andpreferably adjacent the upper end of the said top rail 25, a rotatingbrush 28, which may be provided, as shown, with two oppositely placedbunches of bristles 29. The brush 28 is set on a stud 30, projectingfrom the frame of the machine, and is secured to a ratchet-wheel 31, sothat the brush may be revolved by revolving the ratchet. For the latterpurpose I provide an operating-pawl 32 and a detaining-pawl 33. The pawl32 is pivoted to the rocking lever 34, by means of which the driver isactuated, and the pawl 33 is pivoted to the frame. The said pawls 32 and33 are normally held in contact with the teeth of the ratchet by springsin the wellknown manner. As the lever 34 rocks on its fulcrum the brush23 will be rotated, causing the bristles to sweep over that portion ofthe raceway which lies in their path at regular intervals, dislodgingany excess of staples therefrom, as also any staples which may beimproperly located thereon. By this means the clogging of the staples onthe raceway at the point where they pass under the top rail 25 isprevented.

At the lower end of the raceway 23 I provide an arm or support 37, whichis secured to the forwardlyprojecting arm 3 of the frame. (See Fig. 1.)At the lower end of the support 37 is secured a stud 38, which projectshorizontally under the raceway and is provided at its free end with thecurved arm 36. The said arm 36 is normally pressed downwardly by meansof a torsional spring 39, encircling the stud 38. The upper end of thearm 36 is so shaped as to project laterally across the raceway above thelatter and is provided with a plate 40. The said plate 40 has at thelower end thereof a forwardlyprojecting beak 41, which extends parallelwith and slightly above the lower end of the raceway, thus serving toprevent the staples which may be on that portion of the raceway frombeing thrown off or displaced. On the under side of the said beak 41,near the rear portion or heel thereof, I provide a clamping projection42, which at certain times in the operation of the machine bears on thehead of the staple which may be under it on the raceway and serves todetain that staple as also the staples above it on the raceway andprevent them from moving down the latter. It is at this point thatsuccessive staples are separated from the continuous mass on the racewayin order that they may be presented one at a time to the driver.

The instrumentalities which directly effect the separation are theclamping projection 42 and the cap 45 at the rear of the throat orguideway. The cap 45 has an inclined face 91, which when the throat isin its highest position is in proximity to the sides of the raceway at apoint below the clamping projection 42. When the clamping projection 42is raised, as hereinafter described, to release the staple under it, thestaple released moves downwardly into contact with the inclined face 91,and the succeeding staples on the raceway move downwardly acorresponding distance, bringing the staple next above the one released,in position under the clamping projection 42, to be clamped and detainedthereby. As will be clear, the space on the raceway between the clampingprojection 42 and the inclined face 91 is only suflicient to accommodateone staple. The staple which has been freed from the clamping projection42 moves down the raceway until it rests against the inclined face 91 ofthe cap 45. \rVhen the guideway or throat moves down wardly, taking withit the cap 45, the said staple is free to slide down to the extremelower end of the raceway and would slide olf the same were it not thatat this time the said lower end of the raceway is closed by the driver,which moves down past the raceway before the cap 45 moves down out ofcontact with the said staple.

The clam in .ro'ection 42 is raised to free P e P the staple with whichit is in engagement by means of the cap 45 during the upward movement ofthe latter and just before it reaches the end of said upwardmovement. Tothis end I provide the laterally-projecting end or head of the arm 36with a downward projection 90, which latter projection is on theopposite side of. the raceway from the said arm 36. The projection 90carries an adjustingscrew 44, the lower end of which is in the path ofthe upwardly-moving cap 45. Before the cap 45 reaches its highestposition it makes contact with the screw 44 and overcoming theresistance of the torsional spring 39 raises slightly the lever 36 andthe plate 40 and clamping projection 42, freeing the staples on theraceway, as previously described, and permitting the staple which wasdetained by the clamping projection 42 to pass downwardly into contactwith the inclined face 91, as indicated in Fig. 5. The cap 45 is slottedvertically (see Figs. 5 and 7) to receive the lower end of the raceway23 when the cap is in its highest position. The rear end of the saidslot where the latter passes through the inclined face 91 is only 3sufficient in width to accommodatethe race way, as will be clear fromFig. 7,-where the.

' lower end of said raceway is shown as projecting into said slot. theslot (shown at 162, Fig. '7) are wider than the' said raceway to allow asufficientclearance for the prongs of thestaple, which is at the extremelower end of the raceway, when an eccentric 46 on the main shaft 4through means of the adj usting-screw 49 in the well The rocking lever34 is piv-' 3 of the frame.

definitely limited by the block 61, which is secured, by means of screws62, to the rear: side of the said sleeve 58. The block-6l-is the capmoves upwardly into its highest position, the inclined inner end of thesaid wider portion being indicated by the dotted line 165, Fig. 5.

The driving lnechanism'is operated from a connection 47-, which ispivoted at 48 to the rear end of the rocking lever 34. The length of theconnection 47 may be adjusted by known manner. oted at 50 betweenprojections. 92 92 on the top of the frame. The forward end of therocking lever-is slotted, as shown at 51, to receive the pin 52, whichpasses through the upper yoke-shaped end of the driverebar 53. Thedriver-bar 53 slides verticallyin a bush ing 54in the upperforwardly-projecting portion 55 of the arm 3 of the frame. The driver 56is secured'in the lower end of the driver-bar 53, the shank or upper endof the said driver 56 being placed in the tapering socket orrecess 57 inthe lower end of the said bar. (See Fig.

5.) The driver-bar 53 reciprocates verticallyin a sleeve 58, the lowerend of which is cut away rearwardly, as shown, 3 to afford clearance forthe lower end of the raceway and the separating mechanism.- At theextreme-lower end of the sleeve 58 is located the throat or guideway 35,through and out of which the staples are driven intothe stock. Thesleeve 58.

also reciprocates vertically in an opening 59, formed through theprojection .60 on the arm the sleeve permits the staple in the throat 35to be carried down, with the throat, until the latter rests on thesurface of the stock, after which the staple may be driven directlyfrom; the throat or guideway-into the stock without danger of crippling.The said reciprocation also enables: the cap 45 to engage thescrew 44and raise the clamping projection 42, while the cap 45 further serves toprevent the staples onthe raceway after they are re-. leased'from theclamping projection 42 from moving downwardly a greater distance than'will permit one staple to escape from underv the'said clampingprojection.

The vertical movement of the sleeve 58 is free to reciprocate betweenthe projections 55 and 60, and these latter definitely limit its Nearthe upper end of the said sleeve'and projectvertical movement in eitherdirection.

ing from opposite sides thereof are two pins 63 and 64.

slot 65in the plate 66, which latteris secured The other portions ofThe. vertical movement of.

The pin 63 moves vertically in a' to the side of the projection of the.arm 3 of the frame, as shown;inFig.; l. and slot serve to guide thesleeve and prevent it from turning on its long axis, ,The.

Thepin 63v sleeve 58 is carried downwardly by the driver at each descentof the latter and is moved in the opposite dir'ection'by meansof springs67 and-68,- which are secured at their lower ends to the pins 63 and 64,respectively and at their upper ends to the pin 52 at the forward 7 endof the rocking lever 34.

The cap 45 at the rear of the gnideway or throat 35 is yieldinglysecured in place by means of the screws 70 and-7l and the springs 74 and75. The screws 70aud 71 pass through holes 72 and 73,,respectively, inthe front wall of the guidewayor throat (see Fig. 6)

and are screwed into the cap 45. Thesprings.

74 and 75 serve to hold the said cap 45 toits seat, while permitting itto recede or yield rearwardly under pressure. The tensionof the springs74 and 75 may be varied by turn ing the screws '70 and 71, respectively,as.will be clear. When the cap 45, which forms the rear wall of thethroat or guideway, is-on its seat, the-guideway, is of lesswidththanthestaple, so that the'latter will not drop through the guideway, butrequires to be forced through by the driver. By thus contracting thethroat when a staple leaves the end of the raceway it drops into thethroat and is ;de-.

tained therein in substantially the position shown in-Fig. 5.; As willbe clear, therefore, the cap.45 requires to yieldslightly asea h stapleis forced through the throat, and-to this end it is yieldingly securedin place in the manner above described.. 1

Thedriver 56 is formed of proper shape ,to enter the guideway or throat35 and engage the head of the staple, the lower endof the drivercorresponding in shape-with the head of the staple to be driven.

Theclutch mechanism by means of which,

the machine may be stopped and started is in general of well-knownconstruction. I have added, however, thereto some novelifeatures Saidclutch mechanism will-be clear from'Figs. 3 and 4. Referring to Fig.3,100

is a sleeve which is set on a stud 101, which latter projectshorizontallyfrom the-frame of the machine. Said sleeve is provided withan arm 102,- with which a connecting-rodand treadle-lever, the latterbeinglocatedin. convenient proximity to the foot of the opera-;. tor,"is connected in the usual manner; :By depressing the treadle the arm 102is raised,

rocking the sleeve 100'and raising theshipper-arm 103, which is alsosecured to the-saidsleeve 100. The rearwardbeveled and shoulv dered endof the arm 103, which isnormally heldin contact with the periphery ofthe hub or boss 104, fast on the main shaft; operates inthe revolutionot the said-boss-to cause the retraction of the bolt'105, (see4,)--th:e.

wedge or beveled end of the said arm 103 lying in the'path of movementof a projection106 on the said belt 105. The said'bolt 105 may slidelengthwise of the main shaft in a slot in the said boss or hub 104. Thenthe said bolt 105 is retracted, as shown in Fig. 4, the pulley 5 is freeto revolve loosely on the main shaft 4. If, however, the treadle of theshipper mechanism be depressed by the operator, thus raising the arm 103out of contact with the periphery of the boss 104 and also out ofcontact with the projection 106, the bolt 105 is thrown into engagementwith the hub of the pulley 5, said hub being notched in the usualmanner, as shown at 107, so that when the end of the bolt 105 isprojected into one of said notches the main shaft is caused to revolvewith the pulley. The said bolt 105 is thrown forward by means of aspiral spring 108, Fig. 4, which encircles a stud 100, set in a recess110 lengthwise of the said belt 105 and at the rear end thereof. One endof the said spiral spring bears against the face of the sprocket-wheel161, and the other end thereof bears against the bottom of the recess110 in the said bolt 105. It will be clear, therefore, that if thetreadle of the clutch mechanism is depressed, raising the arm 103, thepulley 5 will be made fast with the main shaft, and if the pressure beremoved from the treadle of the clutch mechanism the arm 103 will bebrought into contact with the periphery of the hub 104 and when theshaft completes one revolution will operate to withdraw the bolt 105 andfree the pulley 5 from the shaft." It is desirable to render the pulley5 loose on the shaft 4 and to maintain it in this condition for agreater or less length of time. For the purpose of doing this I providealocking-pin 111, (shown in Fig. 4,) which is placed in a radial hole ina projecting portion 112 of the boss or hub 104. A continuation of thesaid radial hole (shown at 113) is formed in the bolt 105, so that theinner end of the pin 111 may project into said hole 113, and thus serveto hold the bolt 105 in its retracted position. pressed inwardly towardthe bolt 105 by in eans of a spiral spring 114, which encircles the saidpin 111, said spring bearing at its lower end against a collar 115 onthe pin 111 near the inner end thereof. The projection or housing 112for the pin 111 is provided with grooves 116 and 117 on differentlevels. These grooves receive a cross-pin 118, which projects throughthe said pin 111. The upper end of the pin 111 projects outwardly, asshown in Fig. 4, so that it may be seized by the thumb and finger. Asshown in said figure, the pin 111 is in engagement with the hole 113inbelt 105 and serves to lock the bolt in its retracted position. At thistime the cross-pin 118 is in the slot or groove 117, the latter beingdeeper than the groove 116. It now the pin 111 be raised and rotatedthrough a quarter of a circle, the pin 118 may be placed in the slot110, and the lower or inner end of the pin 111 will be held out ofcontact with the bolt 105, thus permitting the said bolt 105 to beoperated by means of its The pin 111 is normally.

spring 108, which will cause the bolt to be thrown into engagement withone of the notches on the face of the hub of the pulley 5. Topermanently render the pulley 5 loose on the shaft, it is only necessaryto retract the bolt 105, seize the pin 111, raise it slightly, turn itthrough a quarter of a circle, and allow its inner end to pass into thehole 113 in the said bolt 105.

In the operation of setting a staple the points of the prongs usuallypass through the stock, and it is desirable to turn or clench the saidpoints on the under side thereof. To this end the stock is placed on ananvil 70, which is provided on its surface with recesses into which thepoints of the staple-prongs project when they pass through the stock andwhich serve to turn the said points inwardly and clench them on thelower surface of the stock. To permit the said anvil to yield slightlyunder heavy pressure, which is desirable, I mount it at the forward endof a lever 77, which is pivoted at 78 in the arm 2. The said leverprojects rearwardly and is curved downwardly, as shown in Fig. 2. Therear end of the said leveris slotted to receive the lower end of a rod70, the upper end of which passes through a hole in the lug 80, whichprojects from the frame of the machine. a nut 81 and below the said luganother nut 2, which serves to hold the rod firmly in position. A strongspiral spring 83 encircles the rod and bears at its lower end against awasher 84, resting on the top of the lever 77 and at its upper endagainst a nut on the rod 79. A check-nut 86 serves to hold the nut 85 ina given position. By screwing down the nut 85 the spring 83 iscompressed, and a greater pressure can then be applied to the anvil 76without depressing it, as will be clear. The anvil-bar 701 is slottedvertically to receive the forward end of the said lever 77, and a screw87 is placed through the said bar, below the said lever, to prevent theanvil-bar from rising out of contact with the said lever.

The form of staple commonly used in the machine above described isdesignated at 24 and is shown in Fig. 9.

The operation of the machine is as follows: The driver, sleeve 58, andcap 45 being in their highest positions, as shown in Fig. 5, theclamping projection 42 is raised out of contact with a staple on theraceway. The driver moves downwardly until it engages the head of thestaple in the throat 35. The pressure of the driver as it engages thestaple carries downward the sleeve 58 until the throat rests on thestock. As the cap 45 moves downwardly the clamping projection 42 engagesthe second succeeding staple on the raceway. The lowermost staple on theraceway moves down the latter until it reaches the extreme end of theraceway, where it is stopped by the rear flat face of the,driver, whichat this time serves to close the end of the raceway.

On the rod 79, above the said lug, is"

. before this occursthat is, during the last portion ofthe ascent of thesleeve 58'the cap45 engages the screw 44, raising the clamp ingprojection 42 and permitting the staples on theraceway to move downwarduntil the lowermost staple is in engagement with the inclined face 91.Thedriver continues to ascend until its lower end is above the lower inoperation, automatically adjusts itself to" stock of varyingthicknesses, is durable, easy to keep in repair, and does not require aspecially-skilled operator.

I What I claim is' 1. In a staple-setting machine, in combina-' tion, araceway for staples, a drivcr, a th roatpiece constructed to retain astaple in its passage-way until forced therethrough by the driver andmovable toward the work under pressure of the driver against saidstaple, and detents operatively connected with. the said throat-pieceand caused thereby to act alternately in feeding the staplessuccessively to the throat-piece.

2. In a staple-setting machine, in combination, a driver, a raceway forstaples,'a detent to engage with a staple on said raceway adjacent thedeliveryend of the latter, a throatpiece constructed to retain a staplein its passage-way and movable toward the work under pressure of thedriver'ag'ainst said staple, a second detent, operated by the saidthroatpiece, and serving to, hold the staple afterits release from thedetent first mentioned, means der pressure of the driver against astaple therein and provided with an elastically-held portion to retardthe movement of the staple through its passage-way,and also providedwith means to hold the staple last released from'the detent until thedescent of the throat-piece and then free the same, the saidthroat-piece acting in the ascent thereof to operate the detent, andmeans -to raise the throat-piece as the driver ascends.

4. In a staple-setting machine, in combination, a' driver, aracewayforstaples, a holding-clamp to press against astaplc adjacent The sleeve 58and throat and Just the driver, a throat-piece movable toward the workunder pressure of the driver against a staple therein, means to raisethe said throatpiece as the driver ascends, and means to 0p erate theclamp from the throat-piece, substantiall y as described.

' 5. In a staple-setting machine, in combination, a=driver, a racewayleading toward the.

driving-point in the machine, a clamp to en gage a staple at thedelivery end of said raceway adjacent the driver, and a throat-piecemovable in unison with the driver and provided with means to raise theclamp in the ascent of the driver to thereby release the staple'held bythe clamp, and also with means to hold the released staple until thedriver and throat-piece descend in unison in the driving of thepreceding staple, substantially as described. I 6. In a staple settingmachine, in combination, a driver, a raceway for staples, a detent toengage with a staple adjacentthe delivery end of the raceway, athroat-piece movable toward the work under the pressure of the driveragainst a staple therein and provided with a'detent to arrest the staplejust released by the detent first mentioned until after the driving ofthe previous staple, means to raise the saidthroat-piece as the driverascends','and means. to operate'the first detent from the throat-piece,substantially as de scribed.

"7. In a staple-setting machine, in combination, a driver, a raceway forstaples, a clamp to engage with a staple adjacent the delivery end ofthe'raceway, athroat-piece movable toward the workunder pressure of thedriver against a staple therein and provided with a detent to arrest thestaple just released from the clamp until after the driving of theprevious staple, means to raise the said-throatpiece as the driverascends, and means to 0perate the clamp from the throat-piece,sub-

'stantially' as described;

8. In a staple-setting machine, in combination, a driver, a raceway forstaples, the spring-actuated clamp to press against a staple adjacentthe driver and providedwith a projection to prevent displacement of thestaple from the raceway after being released, the throat-piece providedwith an elasticallyheld portion to retard the movement of a staplethrough its passage-way, movable toward the work under pressure of thedriver against such staple, and provided with a detent to hold thestaple last released from the clamp until the descent of thethroat-piece, the said throat-piece acting in the ascent thereof toraise the clamp, and means to raise thesaid throat-piece as the driverascends, substantially as described.

9, In astaple-setting machine, the combination of a driver, a racewayfor staples, a detent adjacent to the driver and provided with aprojection extending into proximity to the driver to preventdisplacement of the staple from the raceway after being released,and

too

connections between the driver and detent for operating them in unison.

10. In a staple-setting maehine,in combination a raceway shaped to bestraddled by staples,a fixed receptacle or hopperhavin g therein aforwardly-inclined surface in continuation of the upper portion of theraceway, a lifter-plate moving at the side of said surface and having atransversely-beveled upper end to lift from the bottom of the fixedhopper a portion of the staples therein and discharge the upliftedstaples laterally onto said surface, and means to operate the saidlifterplate, substantially as described.

11. In a staple-setting machine, in combination, a raceway shaped to bestraddled by staples,a fixed receptacle or hopper having therein aforwardly-inclined shoulder 22 in continnation of the upper portion ofthe raceway,

a lifter-plate sliding vertically in said hopper

